RHA says police community relations program bearing fruit

Saturday

Nov 17, 2012 at 3:15 AM

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Housing Authority’s police community relations program continues to show desired results, according to RHA executive Director Stacey Price.“Our joint program with the Rochester police department is a pro-active effort designed to direct special police services to all housing authority properties and residents,” said Price. “With physical facilities at eight different sites providing housing for approximately 500 Rochester residents, this is a valuable initiative, especially for our elderly residents and younger people.”The RHA and Rochester police department have a year-to-year contract with the RHA providing funding to the city for the equivalent of a full-time police officer to work with RHA residents and neighborhoods surrounding RHA properties. In addition to the full-time officer who works with all residents and the RHA’s after school, the RHA for several years has had a Rochester police officer live at Wyandotte Falls. This living accomodation is permitted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with the officer paying a reduced monthly rent.“Police officer presence is a huge plus in a high-rise building such as Wyandotte Falls,” said Price.The types of incidents reported to the police and requiring police services at Wyandotte Falls are typical of a public or private housing complex, or any neighborhood, according to Price. Since 2001, the most common calls/incidents have been for trespassing and criminal mischief (15 percent of total calls), calls for police information (9 percent), and health emergency issues (7 percent).The RHA owns or manages five public housing complexes, two tax credit programs, and two short-term housing assistance facilities. Members of the RHA Commission include Chairman Art Nickless and Commissioners Mark Hourihane, Janet Davis, Cider Berry and Fred Glidden.